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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

China's YJ-18 Missiles a ‘Major Threat’ to US Navy

A recent report from the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) has confirmed the Chinese government's own claims that "the newest class, the LUYANG III, destroyer is fitted with the new vertically-launched YJ-18 ASCM [anti-ship cruise missile]."

The revelations about the the YJ-18 — a latest generation supersonic ASCM — are one of the major takeaways of the ONI's overview of the developments in the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

So far there is only one Luyang III (also known as a 052D) destroyer with the proper vertical launch system (VLS) for the YJ-18 but China has said it plans to have 10 more operational by 2017.